Conventional tape cassettes contain two reels which are connected by recording tape that is wound off one reel onto the other by a tape machine. Because this tape sometimes binds, the takeup reel can, on occasion, stop moving. in this event, the machine will begin to chew up the tape. This binding is usually preceeded by jerky rotation of the takeup reel, which, if noticed in time, will allow the cassette to be removed from the machine before any damage is done.
Each of the reels in such a cassette has an open center portion which has a plurality of radially inwardly extending spokes. These reels are rotated by shafts driven by the machine, which shafts have radially outwardly extending paddles that engage corresponding pairs of spokes. Because of the number of spokes, there are always at least three spokes that are unoccupied.